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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to creating the criminal offense of possession of an |
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animal by a person who has been previously convicted of an offense |
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involving animal cruelty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 42.107 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 42.107. POSSESSION OF ANIMAL BY PERSON CONVICTED OF |
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ANIMAL CRUELTY. (a) A person commits an offense if the person: |
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(1) possesses or exercises control over an animal; and |
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(2) within the five-year period preceding the date of |
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the instant offense, has been previously convicted of an offense |
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under: |
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(A) Section 42.091, 42.092, or 42.10; or |
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(B) federal law or a penal law of another state |
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containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements |
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of an offense described by Paragraph (A). |
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(b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor, |
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except that the offense is a Class B misdemeanor if the defendant |
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has been previously convicted of an offense under this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |